In one of their ſmall fiſhing-boats, rowing with two men, ſometimes with four, they do uſually bring to ſhore, every morning that they go to ſea, 50 or 60 ling and cod, and they take many barrels of herrings: For the Hollanders buſſes driving at ſea do break the ſhole, and then the herrings fly near the ſhore through the ſounds, where the Scots: take them with their ſmall boats and nets. Had they better tackling they would do better, p. 256, 257. And, which is more than all, they have skilful and hardy fiſhers to endure wind and weather, and to be content with their own proviſions. Here a London-purſe, or a full Engliſh-purſe, would do wonders; and the time draws near to prepare for the buſineſs. In Shetland they had then fat oxen at 3 l. each oxe; fat ſheep at 2 s. or 2 s. 6 d. each fat ſheep; conies, eaſie to be taken in abundance; and fowl, &c. p. 257. He bought in the Iſle of Ounſt 11655 gild ling of the largest ſize, (if ſmaller, he had two for one, or three for two,) and 835 gild cod, which are the largeſt cod, all taken by the inhabitants of Ounſt; all brought to his booth, or the place of his abode, as ſoon as they were caught, every morning. The large gild ling did coſt him but 3 d. a-piece; the gild cod but 2 d. a-piece. They were ſalted aboard the ſhip, p. 254. Muffet values a ling of 2 years old at a Noble, as the uſual rate in his time, about 60 years ſince, or upwards; and the price of fleſh in London, and other parts of England, may now juſtly raiſe the price of fiſh.
Our Author goes on to ſhew, that trading is the life of all the habitable world; how it firſt raiſed the Venetians, then the Genoueſe, next the Portugueſe, then the Eaſterlings, laſtly the Hollanders above all, by the fiſhery, p. 258, 259, &c. He proves by accurate Inſtances, and grounded Calculations, that (ſo long ago) Hollanders, and other Foreigners, gained by their fiſhery from the coaſts of England, Scotland, and Ireland, to the value of millions of pounds yearly. And hence is their abundance of ſhipping, pilots and ſeamen. And he ſhews how the Hollanders do exchange their fiſh to drive their main Trade, and to circulate the wealth in the world into their own centers and purſes.
Compare herewith Mr. Evelyn's lately publiſh'd ingenious diſcourſe of the Original and Progreſs of Navigation and Commerce, eſpecially p. 107, 108, 109, &c. printed in London in Octavo.
